Autonomous mobile unmanned sprayer apparatus, operating method thereof, and method of controlling autonomous rail switching movement

A method of controlling rail switching movement of an unmanned sprayer apparatus capable of autonomous rail switching movement, which is a method of controlling the rail switching movement of the unmanned sprayer apparatus that moves automatically in a greenhouse including a first rail and a second rail installed on a flat land, the method comprising:

• traveling a vehicle body rearward on the first rail and when a front end of the first rail is detected, stopping the vehicle body;
• moving the vehicle body laterally toward the second rail and when a front end of the second rail is detected, stopping the vehicle body;
• and
• aligning the vehicle body in a direction of the second rail and then docking the vehicle body to the second rail,
• wherein the method further comprises detecting the front end of the detected rail through training of a rail image and extracting a main line of the detected rail through image processing.

A method of operating an autonomous mobile unmanned sprayer apparatus, which is a method of operating the unmanned sprayer apparatus that moves automatically in a greenhouse including a first rail and a second rail installed on flat land, the method comprising:

• recognizing the first rail, extracting a main line of the first rail, and correcting a heading angle of the unmanned sprayer apparatus so that the unmanned sprayer apparatus is aligned to be parallel to the main line;
• when the heading angle is corrected so that the unmanned sprayer apparatus is aligned to be parallel to the main line of the first rail, traveling the unmanned sprayer apparatus forward on the first rail;
• allowing the unmanned sprayer apparatus to spray chemicals while traveling the unmanned sprayer apparatus rearward at an end point of the first rail;
• when a front end of the first rail is recognized, stopping the unmanned sprayer apparatus and moving the unmanned sprayer apparatus laterally to start switching to the second rail;
• when a front end of the second rail is recognized, stopping the lateral movement of the unmanned sprayer apparatus, extracting a main line of the second rail, and estimating a direction of the second rail;
• and
• correcting the heading angle of the unmanned sprayer apparatus so that the unmanned sprayer apparatus is aligned to be parallel to the estimated direction of the second rail, aligning the unmanned sprayer apparatus in the direction of the second rail, and traveling the unmanned sprayer apparatus forward on the second rail,
• wherein the method further comprises detecting the front end of the detected rail through training of a rail image and extracting a main line of the detected rail through image processing.